Walking is the most ancient form of stress relief. Our ancestors walked everywhere. Not only walking helped them deal with any stress that they might have had but also kept them fit. At a time when there were no cars or carriages, people walked. Walking is the best form of exercise. It requires no equipment, and it can be done at any time of the day and at any weather.
Recent studies have shown that walking helps increase memory, concentration and learning skills. Along with these studies, other studies have also found that walking helps relieve stress, reduce the risk of stroke, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and control weight gain.
In the busy lifestyles that we lead, it is important that we relieve ourselves of any type of stress. Thus helping our bodies to cope and reducing the risk of illness. It's often difficult to incorporate walking in our lifestyles. But there are a few things that we can do to help us with that. For example, instead of taking the elevator we can take the stairs. We can park our car at the farthest parking spot and walk the rest of the way to the office.
Taking a walk helps clear our minds. We can think clearly and become more productive and creative. Published authors have taken up walking to clear their minds, help them with ideas and become more creative for whatever they are writing.
How to incorporate walking when you are under stress? The best thing to do is to set your mind to it and go. Dress warm, under rough weather conditions and go outside to breathe the clean air. When walking, we have to take deep breaths which helps relieve the stress that we are feeling. By taking deep breaths, in and out, increases the blood flow in the brain. When walking, pay attention to your surroundings; especially if you walk outside. Look at the sky. Is it blue or are there any clouds? Look at the trees, the roads, the flowers, breathe the fresh air. By paying attention to your surroundings will automatically clear your head thus relieving you of the stress you felt a few minutes ago. Walking at a brisk pace will help relieve the stress faster, but just walking will have similar effects.
If you cannot walk outside, walk on the treadmill. It has the same effects of relieving stress as walking outside. Place the treadmill near a window and concentrate at what you see outside. Is it snowing, or raining? How do the snowflakes look? This helps you forget your stress and concentrate at the more beautiful things in nature. It might be cold and snowy outside but it sure looks pretty. By concentrating on anything besides the cause of your stress, you forget all the events that caused you to be stressful to begin with. And remember that by walking not only you are helping your mind but you are helping your body also.